WARNING: This article may contain stereotypes
For those who know me, follow my Instagram, or have browsed my website, the sight of me in my pants will be nothing unusual. It is, in fact, the headline feature of my website, the author who likes to write in his underwear... we all need a hook, and that's mine. Know your audience; that's what they say, isn't it?
Obviously, I don't always write in my underwear. As I type these words, I am fully clothed, much to the relief of the other customers in the coffee shop, I am sure. It was more of a branding decision. I am a gay man, and I have and will continue to base my writing around gay characters. Therefore, I assumed my books would be of more interest to gay men, and gay men love underwear! Combine the two; capture the market; Sales! Sales! Sales!
However, as much as I genuinely love being in my underwear and joining the internet gays with the occasional scantily-clad thirst trap, I suspect I may be compromising my ambitions. Although I publicly declare myself a 'Gay Author', all I really want to do is write books that people want to read. The sexuality of the characters should be irrelevant, and I think it broadly is. I have had great feedback from men, women, gay and straight alike.
Maybe it's time for a rebrand? Widen the catchment area, but then again, a host of advice tells you the best way to market a product is to narrow down on a target audience. Yet another minefield for the self-published author! While I gather my thoughts, you can find me on the internet #booksandbriefs